The questions we ask in life and in business determine the answers that we can receive. Let me say that again. The QUESTIONS we ask in life and in business DETERMINE THE ANSWERS that we can receive.
For an example, consider these two questions:
How do I make more money? VS How can I become the kind of person who is both content with what I have while attracting more money?
The first question is vague and vague questions are open for vague answers. The second question is more specific and gets more to the root of the issue.
If we’re honest, no one really wants more money for the sake of having more money. We want money for the options it provides and for the security we feel because of those options.
Let’s try another one.
How can I lose weight? VS How can I develop a healthy lifestyle?
Answers for the first question might include very unhealthy things like some diet pills, vomiting up food after eating it, surgery, etc. whereas the second question, because it’s specific, allows for much better answers.
Today, while I was listening to an interview with Daegan Smith, he talked about this very same thing. In fact, he cited asking the right questions and one of the major components to his multi-million dollar network marketing business and guru status.
We will also do well if we can seek out the “question behind the question,” so that we can get to work on the real issues rather than the symptoms of those issues. To use the above example again, the real issue is not that someone doesn’t have enough money to do this or that. The real issue is more likely the case that they have wrong thinking which lead to wrong decisions which lead to negative circumstances. If we change our thinking, we can change our situation. But the root issue here is our mindset, not our money.
Are you asking the right questions?